Visit to Japan by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Managing Director of the Grameen Bank

July 6, 2007

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Managing Director of the Grameen Bank, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, will visit Japan from July 6 (Fri) to 12 (Thu) at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During his stay in Japan, Dr. Yunus will pay a courtesy call on Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, attend a dinner to be hosted by Mr. Katsuhito Asano, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, and deliver speeches at symposia and universities.

Dr. Yunus engaged in microfinancing in farming villages in Bangladesh to assist the lives and production activities of poor people, women in particular, and established the Grameen Bank, which provides the poor with a basis for independence. The microfinance system has had such a great influence on the development that it is now being used all over the world as an effective means of poverty reduction and self-help support for the poor, especially poor women. In recognition of these achievements, Dr. Yunus and his Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

Efforts like those of Dr. Yunus could contribute to realizing the “Human Security” that Japan has been proactively promoting. It is hoped that Dr. Yunus’ visit will stir awareness among the Japanese people of the problems of developing countries and the importance of international cooperation to solve them.

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